In recent years, various types of devices, such as navigation devices and the like which display the current position and the like of a car on a monitor screen by a control means such as a computer or the like, have been mounted in cars.
As for such various types of devices, the aforementioned devices can be controlled by operating a controller.
On the other hand, it has been thought to mount the controllers of such various types of devices at the steering wheels of cars. In the case of such a structure, there is the merit that the operability improves because switches or the controller can be operated without removing the hands from the steering wheel.
By the way, in a case in which such a controller is provided integrally with the steering wheel for example, when the steering wheel is rotated in order to steer the car, the controller also rotates together therewith. In this case, depending on the mounted position and the like of the controller, the body of the vehicle occupant in the driver's seat (in particular, the palm or finger) interferes with the controller. For this reason, there is the possibility that the aforementioned devices will be operated inadvertently.
On the other hand, among controllers of devices, such as the aforementioned navigation device or the like, of the type at which various more operations are carried out while referring to an image displayed on the screen of a monitor, there are types using a so-called “touch panel”.
Such types of controllers have a plate-shaped operation surface. When operation is carried out, a specific position on the operation surface is touched by a finger, or a finger is moved in a state of continuing to touch the operation surface by the finger, and in accordance therewith, switching of the screen or scrolling of the screen or the like is carried out.
By the way, in the case of this type of controller, basically, the controller is the reference for the direction of movement of the finger which the controller detects. Therefore, in a case in which the controller is provided integrally with the steering wheel, even if the finger is moved up, down, left or right on the operation surface, the direction, whose reference is the controller, differs in the state in which the steering wheel is at a neutral position (i.e., the state in which the car can travel straight forward), and in the state in which the steering wheel is rotated.
Therefore, in the state in which the steering wheel is rotated, it is difficult to carry out a desired screen operation or the like, and the possibility of erroneous operation increases.
In view of the aforementioned, an object of the present invention is to provide a car-mounted device control system which can prevent or lessen erroneous operation of an operation portion or a switch or the like at the time the steering wheel is rotated.